0. US. Department pf Transportation Federal Transit Administration

Transcription

1 0. US. Department pf Transportation Federal Transit REGION IX Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada; Guam Ameritan Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands :201 Mission Street Suite 1650 San Francisco, CA (fax) Ronnie Simpson Federal Aviation Box Honolulu, HI Re: Invitation to Participate in the Environmental Review Process for the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project Dear Mr. Simpson: The Federal Transit (FTA), in cooperation with the City and County.of Honolulu, Department of Transportation Services (DTS) is initiating the preparation on a proposal by the City and County of Honolulu to implement a fixed-guideway transit system in the cperider between Kapolei and the University of Hewer' at IVIarioa with a branch to Waikiki. Alternatives proposed to be considered in the draft EIS include No Build and two 'Fixed Guideway Transit alternatives. The purpose of the project, as Currently defined, is to provide high-capacity, high-speed transit in the highly Congested east-west transportation corridor between Kapolei and the University of Hawaii at.manc:ia, as specified in the 2030 Oahu Regional Transportation Plan (ORTP). The enclosed scoping information packet provides more details. A preliminary coordination plan including a schedule also is enclosed. 'Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation EquityAct: A Legacy for Users establishes an enhanced environmental review process for certain PTA projects, increasing the transparency of the process, as well as opportunities for participation. The requirements of Section 6002 apply to the project that is the subject of this letter. As part of the environmental review process for this project, the lead agencies must identify, as early as practicable, any other Federal and non-federal agencies that may have an interest in the project, and invite such agencies to become participating agencies in the environmental review process.' Your agency has been identified.preliminarily as one that May have an interest in this project; accordingly, you are being extended this invitation to become actively involved as a participating agency in the environmental review processfor the project. Asa participating agency, you will be afforded the opportunity, together with the public, to be involved in defining the purpose of and need for the project, as well as in determining the range of alternatives to be considered for the project. In addition ; you will be asked to - Provide input on the impact assessment methodologies and level of detail in your agency's area of expertise; - Participate in coordination meetings, conference calls, and joint field reviews, as appropriate; and Review and comment an sections of the pre draft or pre-final environmental documents to communicate any concerns of your agency on the adequacy of the document ; the alternatives considered, and the anticipated impacts and mitigation. 1 Designation as a 'participating agency" does not imply that the participating agency supports the proposed project or has any jurisdiction over, or special expertise concerning the propased project or its potential impacts,.fla "participating agency.' differs from 'cooperating agency,' which is defined in regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act as "any Federal age* other than a lead.agency which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved in a proposal (ar a reasonable alternative) for legislation or other major Federal action significantly affecting the quality ot the human environment,' 40 C.F.R. 1508,5. AR

2 Your agency does not have to accept this invitation. If, however, you elect not to become a participating agency, you must decline this invitation in writing, indicating that your agency has no jurisdiction or authority with respect to the project, no expertise or information relevant to the project, and does not intend to submit comments on the project The declination may be transmitted electronically to Ted.Matley@dot,gov; please include the title of the official responding. In order to give your agency adequate opportunity to weigh the relevance of your participation in this environmental review process, written response to this invitation are not due until after the interagency scoping meeting scheduled for March 28, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to 1200 p.m. at Honolulu Hale, Mission Memorial Auditorium at 558 South King Street, Honolulu, HI You or your delegate is invited to represent your agency at this meeting, Your agency will be treated as participating agency unless your written response declining such designation as outlined above is transmitted to this office not later than April 20, : Additional information will be forthcoming during the.scoping process. If you have questions regarding this invitation, please: contact Mr. Ted Matley at (415) or Mr. Toiu HaMayasu of :DTS at (808) This contact information supercecles the information provided in the Notice of Intent. Sine ely, Leslie T. Rogers Regional Administra Attachments: Scoping Information Packet Draft Coordination Plan AR

3 p goy- Western-Pacific Region P. 0. Box Real Estate and Utilities Section, AHNL-5413 Honolulu, Hawaii U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation January 5, 2006 Mr. Kenneth Hamayasu, Project Manager Department of Transportation Services City and County of Honolulu 650 South King Street, 3rd Floor Honolulu, HI Dear Mr. Hamayasu: t=3 `t1 Ci> - Your letter of December 7, 2005, invited us to participate in a resource agency scoping meeting for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project. As more specific plans and alternatives are developed, we ask that you continue to coordinate with us to determine any impacts that may affect aviation and the supporting infrastructure involved. We appreciate this opportunity to cooperate with you on this project and look forward to its success. If there are any questions, I may also be contacted at or by at darice.b.young@faa.gov. Sincerely, ipt Dance B. N. Young Realty Contracting Officer AR

4 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU. 050 SOUTH KING STREET. 3RD FLOOR HONOLULU. HAWAII:00813 Phone; (008) Fax: (SOS) Intemet woriv.honoluio.goy MuF I HAHNEMANN MAYOR WAYNE Y. YOSHIOKA DIRECTOR August 18, 2008 Federal Aviation Honolulu Control Facility U. S. Department of Transportation 760 Worchester Avenue Honolulu, Hawaii Dear Sir Subject: Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project Participating Agency Project Update Thank you for agreeing to become involved in the environmental review process for the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project as a Participating Agency. Pursuant to stipulations in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 6002 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) guidance for federally funded projects, and Chapter 343 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, and your participation as a Participating Agency with the Project, the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (DTS) is providing internal and confidential intergovernmental copies of the Purpose and Need for the Project and Alternatives Chapters from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for your review and comment. DTS also requests to formally present an update on the project. This briefing will provide an overall project update and will allow discussion of any specific questions and/or concerns about this project. Any formal written comments are requested by September 17, 2008, and should be addressed to: Mr. Wayne Yoshioka, Director Department of Transportation Services City and County of Honolulu 650 South King Street, 3 rd Floor Honolulu, Hawaii AR

5 Federal Aviation Page 2 August 18, 2008 If you would like for project staff to provide an update, please contact Ms. Stephanie Roberts at (808) to schedule a meeting. We look forward to updating you about the project. Enclosure: 1 CD containing the following: Purpose and Need for the Project Alternatives VVAYNE Y. YOSHIOKA Director AR

6 U.S Department of Transportation Federal Aviation December 11, 2009 Western-Pacific Region Airports Division Federal Aviation P.O. Box Los Angeles, CA Mr. Raymond Sukys Director, Planning and Development Federal Transit, Region IX 201 Mission Street, Suite 1650 San Francisco, California Dear Mr. Sukys; Proposed Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Request for Designation as a Cooperating Agency The Federal Aviation (FAA) requests designation as a cooperating agency for preparation of the Federal Transit (FTA) EIS for the proposed Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project under Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part (a)(1). This request is made in recognition of the National Environmental Policy Act, where the FAA is a Federal agency that has jurisdiction by law on that portion of the transit corridor project that the PTA proposes to build on Honolulu International Airport (HNL). The State of Hawaii owns HNL and the airport accommodates both general aviation and commercial aircraft operators. The FAA and State of Hawaii have continuing grant-in-aid assurance duties to ensure compatible land use around the airport. Specifically, FAA and the State must work to ensure new land uses do not create conflicts with the safe and efficient use of navigable airspace. The FAA's federal action is the unconditional approval of the portion of the State of Hawaii's Airport Layout Plan for HNL that depicts the proposed transit corridor. The FAA believes that by participating as a cooperating agency it can better serve the FTA by providing the appropriate level of technical expertise and staff support for processing of the environmental review applicable to the portion of the transit project on HNL. Thank you for your consideration of this request. If you have any further questions on this matter, please call Peter Ciesla at 310/ in my office, or Steve Wong in our Honolulu Airports District Office at 808/ Sincerely, Mark A. McClardy Manager, Airports Division AR

7 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit REGION IX 201 Mission Street Arizona, California, Suite 1650 Hawaii, Nevada, Guam San Francisco, CA American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands (fax) Mr. Mark A. McClardy Manager, Airports Division Western-Pacific Region Federal Aviation P.O. Box Los Angeles, CA Dear Mr. McClardy: DEC Re: Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project Thank you for your letter, dated December 11, 2009, expressing the Federal Aviation 's (FAA) interest in becoming a cooperating agency in the development of the proposed Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project (HHCTCP) Environmental Impact Statement. The Federal Transit (FTA) welcomes FAA as a federal agency with jurisdiction by law, to the HHCTCP environmental process as a cooperating agency. This proposal is a significant undertaking under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) [42 U.S.C et. seq.] and the locally preferred alternative will impact operations at the Honolulu International Airport (IINL). PTA agrees that under the procedural provisions of NEPA and the administration of the NEPA process, the FAA has special expertise regarding environmental matters at HNL. FTA appreciates FAA's offer of assistance as a cooperating agency under 23 CFR 1501,6, and looks forward to the participation and support of FAA's staff on this important project in Honolulu. If you have any questions about this matter, please contact Mr. Raymond Sukys at (415) Sincerely, Leslie T. Rogers / Regional Administrator Copy to: Faith Miyamoto, City and County of Honolulu AR